So, the simple answer is yes, goats and horses certainly can live together.
That said, you’ve always got to be very careful and aware when putting two different species together—especially when they stand a chance of hurting one another, even by accident.
Let’s look further into this.
Do horses get along with goats?
In general, yes, horses get along really well with goats.
They are both fairly docile herd animals, and indeed their wild instinct is ultimately a big part of the reason many herd animals tolerate each other’s presence.
In the wild, there is great strength from predators in numbers.
Beyond that, though, the simple docile nature of domestic herd animals means you’re unlikely to have much of a problem mixing them.
That said, you can’t just throw them together and expect them to cohabit peacefully.
There are quite a number of caveats.
The most important thing is that every individual has all of their needs met.
If they are hungry, cold, bored, lonely, or anything that might affect their mood, then they may well begin to tolerate their neighbors less.
This can go either way, too.
As long as your goats and horses are well fed, with enough space, and members of their own species to socialize with, you shouldn’t have a problem.
In the right circumstances, goats and horses can even be great companions and get along very well.
But let’s consider the potential aggressiveness.
Are goats aggressive towards horses?
There is a lot of variation between how aggressive individuals will be in both species, but the one simple truth is that males tend to be more aggressive in both species.
If you are going to have a problem mixing goats and horses, it is likely going to come from a male.
Goats tend to be generally more aggressive than horses, especially if they feel threatened or that their food or space is being encroached upon.
If you don’t plan to breed your goats, then the thing to is castrate them at a young age.
This will curb the most aggressive tendencies, making them much more likely to get along with horses.
The same applies to male horses.
Goats are not aggressive towards horses unless they have a specific reason to be.
So, don’t give them a reason.
Can goats and horses share feed?
They can certainly share some elements of their diet.
They will both do quite well on the same kinds of hay, although horses will naturally need a lot more.
As long as you’re providing plenty of hay at all times, such that they can eat whenever they like, you won’t have a problem letting them feed in the same space.
However, goats and horses do still have different dietary needs, and you should do your best to address the full picture for both species.
You can’t really expect to feed them all the same food all the time.
In terms of the relationships, though, if either feels their food is being encroached upon by another, this is where they are most likely to get confrontational.
Most importantly, make sure there is always plenty of hay for them.
Can a horse kill a goat?
It’s certainly not impossible—a horse’s kick is a powerful thing, and a goat may well not realize it is too close to the horse.
However, it would take fault on the part of both horse and goat.
A goat is typically smart enough to know not to get behind a horse, and a horse won’t kick a goat just for fun.
If it did happen, though, the injury could well be fatal.
Especially at first, you should keep a close eye on them as much as you can.
If they don’t display any aggressive tendencies after the first day or two, you shouldn’t have a problem.
Ultimately, you need to remember that while we suggest as a rule of thumb horses and goats are fine living together, yours might not be.
Always closely monitor them at first.
So, as long as you are careful to take care of all their needs, horses and goats will have no problem getting along with one another.
It has been proven to work many times by many farmers.
You should always exercise caution, though, and remember that these two species have complex personalities and individuals.
There’s no guarantee that your goat will want to live with a horse or vice versa, and it will depend heavily on when they are introduced to one another.
Keep all this in mind and keep a close eye on it when you let them mix.